British Outdoor Village celebrates successful debut at ISPO

The British Outdoor Village at ISPO, presented by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) and Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) has been hailed a success following two days of strong visitor engagement, positive exhibitor feedback and valuable international networking opportunities.

Supporting British brands on the international stage

The Village featured 13 stands, all OIA members and OTS exhibitors – Berghaus, Bridgedale, Craghoppers, DMM, Grangers, Keela, Montane, Mountain Equipment, Rab, Sprayway, Terra Nova, Twist Distribution and Vango & Force 10, showcasing the breadth of products and expertise within the UK outdoor sector.

A hub for the British outdoor industry

At the heart of the Village, the OTS & OIA Lounge became a popular meeting point, offering visitors and exhibitors a warm welcome, refreshments and a taste of British hospitality.

The relaxed atmosphere encouraged conversations and provided a space for networking while also promoting OTS, Slide & OTS Winter and the work of the OIA supporting the UK outdoor sector.

British innovation recognised at ISPO Excellence Awards

Several participating brands receiving recognition at the ISPO Excellence Awards 2026.

In the Camping/Outdoor category Grangers won Silver for Xtreme Clothing 2 in 1 and Bronze for Xtreme Repel.

In the Hiking/Climbing category, Rab won Gold for the Women’s 8000 Suit and Bronze for the Mythic Ultra Hoody.

And in the Running/Trail Running category, Bridgedale was a Finalist for the Trail Run Ultralight Zero Merino Sport Crew.

Andrew Denton, CEO, OIA said:

“The British Outdoor Village has been a tremendous success, with excellent feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike. Bringing leading British outdoor brands together created a great atmosphere and gave the UK industry a strong presence on the international stage.

The OIA is committed to championing British outdoor businesses, strengthening industry connections and creating opportunities for our members. The Village demonstrated the value of that collective presence, and we now have a strong platform to build on and raise our international profile.”

Marta Williams, Managing Director, MCS, organisers of the British Village, commented:

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the response to the British Outdoor Village. There was a fantastic buzz around the stands and the lounge, with exhibitors reporting valuable conversations with visitors throughout the two days.

“The Village provided a great focal point to showcase our brands and promote the OIA, OTS and Slide & OTS Winter to an international audience. It's been rewarding to see the concept so well received.”

Feedback from participating brands was also very positive.

“The British Village has been a great way to show off the best of what the UK industry has to offer and create a real focus point for retailers to meet and interact with each other. Having the support and focus of the OIA & OTS in a dedicated zone has generated valuable support across the brands presenting at ISPO and has resulted in positive conversations with everyone that has visited the stands over the past 2 days.” – Chris Bishop, Marketing Manager, AMG Group (Vango & Force 10)

"Presenting at the British Village at ISPO was fantastic, it was wonderful to be able to celebrate our heritage as a British company alongside other passionate UK based brands. We're extremely proud to say all of our equipment is designed & developed in our Derbyshire HQ and has been for over 45 years and being able to exhibit with a selection of other British brands was a pleasure."

“The British Village at ISPO has given Montane a platform to present our latest range with a group of well-known UK outdoor brands, where we can meet international buyers and retailers.” - Gary Bryant, Managing Director, Montane

“In a nutshell- excellent! It has been lovely being part of the British Village. Having everyone together has created a buzz, and we’ve had customers coming specifically to find the British Village.” – Sam Fernando, Sales Director, Keela

“Bridgedale attended ISPO with modest expectations, but they were met and exceeded. It was fantastic to be surrounded by other British brands in the British Outdoor Village.” – John Black, Managing Director, Bridgedale

“It was great to be back at ISPO as part of the British Outdoor Village, alongside our fellow brands. The show gave us a valuable opportunity to connect with our key wholesale partners from around the world, while the Village provided a dedicated meeting space, leaving our stand free to showcase our new AW27 ranges.” - James McNamara, Brand Director, Craghoppers

The positive feedback was echoed by visiting UK retailers.

Mark Brigham, Marketing Director of Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports said: “Bringing together all the brands in the British Outdoor Village was a move that enabled us to have focused and meaningful conversations in one area of the show.”